Plant Life
by 2theSky
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi... only Qui-Gon's apprentice for one week, and things are already going downhill...


Cold.

Everything just felt… cold.

Obi-Wan Kenobi sighed and rolled over in his bed, the sheets having no comforting smell at all; they were just there, pale in color and incredibly sterile-seeming. He couldn't sleep.

The third night in a row.

Only a week had passed since the infamous and revered Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn had accepted him as an apprentice…

It seemed like a lot longer.

There hadn't been a word of welcome, of praise, and not even a smile from the sapphire eyed Master.

"Well," he reasoned, whispering sadly, "it's better than being stuck on Bandomeer." He sighed again and felt the slightly cold tinge in the air prick at his lungs. Qui-Gon certainly kept his quarters cooler than usual. Either that, or the entire Temple's heating units had been broke for the last week, or grand Coruscant was morphing into the morbid Hoth…

Obi-Wan shivered and pulled the thin blanket that covered him tighter. Should he tell Qui-Gon about the heating unit? It was freezing in here. But… maybe Qui-Gon had turned down the overall heating in their quarters-

no… Qui-Gon's quarters… not his. He was only here to be taught. No more, no less.

He finally closed his eyes, saddened at the fact. But there was supposed to be no attachment.

"There is no emotion, there is peace…"

And yet, even the lines of the Jedi Code branded in his mind didn't stop the sickening feeling that he would never be enough for the amazing Master he now had.

…

**"I saw a ghost on the stairs, and sheets on the tables and chairs. The silverware swam with the sharks in the sink- but even so, I don't know what to think…"**

...

Qui-Gon frowned as he left his quarters that morning, his hands tucked in the flowing sleeves of his cloak. Obi-Wan had been gone when he woke up; maybe he'd left to study? Or to meditate in one of the gardens?

Obi-Wan had left early all week. Maybe he just liked to get up early…

Yes, maybe that was all.

He pushed all thought about his apprentice away and continued down the hall.

…

**"I saw a bear in the den, reading my textbooks again; and bats flowed like traffic as they poured from the attic. Heaven knows, I could really use a friend…"**

...

Failed.

Obi-Wan hid behind one of the bushes in a garden in the eastern side of the Temple, as far away from Qui-Gon's quarters as he could get.

Surely Qui-Gon had been told by now…

Told that he had barely passed his math test, no matter how hard he studied.

Told that he had been partnered with Bruck, his mortal enemy, in sparring practice, and had been splattered.

Told that he hadn't joined his friends at lunch, because he was so scared to face his master now.

Imperfect.

He sighed. At this rate, he wouldn't reach Knighthood without a miracle.

…

**"'Cause I'd rather waltz than just walk through the forest. The trees keep the tempo and they sway in time. Quartet of crickets chime in for the chorus. If I were to pluck on your heartstrings would you strum on mine?"**

...

And sure enough, Qui-Gon HAD heard…

How- probably from his teachers- Obi-Wan wasn't sure. But as soon as he had pulled enough strength together to face his master, he was caught in a full-blown lecture.

"You will meditate for another hour each night, for the next two weeks, until your concentration returns. You can't focus," Qui-Gon repeated for the fourth time in two hours, his icy stare making Obi-Wan feel even smaller than the tiny plant on the window sill; it was a yellow-green with a single pink-tinged flower that looked like a miniature blossoming sun. Its leaves were pricked into long thorns, and it was maybe four inches tall. Qui-Gon loved that plant.

Loved it more than he would ever care about Obi-Wan.

"And you will focus on me when I speak to you, Obi-Wan. Look at me."

Obi-Wan cringed, hoping his emotionless mask still held. "Yes, master."

Qui-Gon Jinn sighed, the famous Jedi Master shocked at how little concentration Obi-Wan had. This lecture was finally coming to a close… maybe he was being a little too harsh, but Obi-Wan needed it, right? "And you will study when you get home. At least two hours every night."

"Yes, master."

Obi-Wan sighed mentally, erecting another set of shields around his mind, He didn't want Qui-Gon to know how horrible he felt. He already poured a lot of his time into studying. He made a mental note to permanently increase how long he meditated and studied. Maybe then Qui-Gon would like him, at least a little.

Qui-Gon sighed; something in Obi-Wan's eyes was off… maybe the child was getting sick? Probably not. It was probably just something he'd conjured up from pouring his heart and soul into Xanatos… only to let it get destroyed. "Go to your quarters and meditate. Tomorrow, I expect your sparring to be better. Focus, and you will do fine."

An exasperated sigh almost left Obi-Wan's lips, but he bit it back in time and replaced it with a monotone reply of, "Yes, master."

…

**"I've been longing for daisies to push through the floor, and I wish plant life would grow all around me so I won't feel dead anymore, so I won't feel dead anymore…"**

...

That stupid plant!

Obi-Wan didn't want to feel jealous… but that plant got more attention than he did! Qui-Gon actually talked to it; no lecturing the plant- only talk nicely around the plant- no negative thoughts or anger around he plant… Those rules had been laid out when one of the Council Members had given him it for some Force forsaken reason…

He rolled over in his bed, sniffing. It was so cold… he was probably getting sick. Obi-Wan sighed. That was just what he needed- get sick and become a burden to his master.

Tried pushing away the sickness to replace it with the Force's comfort of healing…

And… nothing.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and gave up. He felt hot all of a sudden. He shook off the blankets and rolled over. It was way too hot… He smiled. In a way, the pain from the unexplainable heat felt good...

...

**"Your spirit is sweet, so pull off your sheet and give me a ghost of a smile. Show me your teeth, 'cause you're a teddy beneath, so just grin and bear it awhile. Just grin and bear it awhile…"**

...

Sparring practice…

with Bruck again.

The white haired terror's eyes blazed with victory from the previous day, his pride leaking into the Force and saturating it in overinflated ego and joy at being able to crush dear Oafy-Wan again.

Oafy-Wan…

Obi-Wan sighed; he felt like that blasted name Bruck had plastered onto him. Everything spun as he stretched, not for the first time that morning. He was shivering as well… how was it so cold?!

"So, ready to lose again today?" Bruck jeered, stepping over to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan shrugged. He honestly, for some reason, couldn't bring himself to care. He felt hot again. What was happening to him?

As the master in charge signaled for the pairs to begin sparring, Obi-Wan's world spun again, faster this time; he swayed, barely missing getting Bruck's lightsaber imbedded in his shoulder. But that move only made him more dizzy, and he wasn't sure what happened, but he was sure Bruck had landed a hit on him, probably two. His body burned more as he dropped his lightsaber, the training blade for practice flickering out. Bruck's blade, however, remained blazing, and with another vicious slash and tackle, Bruck had Obi-Wan pinned to the training mat, his lightsaber blade kissing Obi-Wan's neck.

Obi-Wan hissed as the blade hit his skin again, then it morphed into a nasty cough, the world flickering around him. He tried to reach out to the Force for some minimal comfort so he could stand, but just like the night before, there was nothing to latch onto. The triumphant smirk of Bruck Chun was the last thing he noticed as he passed out.

…

**"Tonight I'm busting out of this old haunted house, 'cause I'm sick of waiting for all those spiderwebs to grow all around me 'cause I don't feel dead anymore. And I'm not afraid anymore…"**

…

Qui-Gon sat in the Healer's wing, still unbelieving that his apprentice of only week had gotten sick and passed out from what had been deduced to be exhaustion. He had, oh what was it, pneumonia? Something about his immune system crashing suddenly… stress… cold… exhausted…

But Obi-Wan had been fine! Just the day before, he was fine-

no he wasn't.

Qui-Gon bit his lip, only for a second, then resumed his continuation of upholding a stoic mask. He'd seen it in Obi-Wan's eyes that the child was getting sick.

And now, it had gotten incredibly severe, to the point where the padawan's fever was skyrocketing and he could barely breathe on his own.

And… Obi-Wan hadn't been eating right.

The healers were eying Qui-Gon with more than a little curiosity and anger at that; the child must've been hurrying about, studying more and more to please him, trying to spar and practice more in his free time to be the perfect apprentice…

Well, his original rejection of the boy didn't help matters.

Maybe he could afford to open his iron-plated heart up just a little for this child-

Xanatos.

No. Qui-Gon was back at ease with that thought; Obi-Wan Kenobi was his apprentice. Only there to learn. The extra meditation and studying weren't going to change. But maybe he'd turn up his thermostat a little.

Obi-Wan needed no coddling.

That would be easy enough.

...

**"I'd rather waltz than just walk through the forest, the trees keep the tempo and I sway in time. Quartet of crickets chime in for the chorus- if I were to pluck on your heartstrings would you strum on mine?"**

…

Two days later, and still stuck in his white cubicle of a room, Obi-Wan sighed. He could tell he was annoying his master with his coughing; he rolled his eyes and closed them to avoid staring at the breathing device masking his mouth and nose in a translucent blue. He wheezed without it…

The click and hiss of the machine as another wave of medicine shot through it. It made it nearly impossible to rest.

Maybe… no, that was truly wishful thinking… Qui-Gon would never truly want him…

Never as more than a student.

He'd love that plant more... well, at least the thing wasn't sick and failing constantly.

Obi-Wan stared up at the plain white ceiling, accepting that this would be the next ten, twelve, maybe more or less, years of his life.

It was great to be a Jedi.

...

**"If I were to pluck on your heartstrings would you strum on mine?"**

* * *

_-okay, this is my first time writing anything for Star Wars (i've never read the Jedi Apprentice series, and i've only seen Episodes I, half of II, all of III, and bits and pieces of the Clone Wars series and Episodes IV, V, and VI... so yeah, i'm a total expert! :P ), so if it stinks, i apologize. i just wanted to branch out and try something a little different from what i usually do..._

_any typos: my bad, and i'm sorry. _

_the title and lyrics are from "Plant Life" by Owl City :)_

_i'll take criticism- God knows i probably messed up some stuff, as always... :( but any comments are appreciated._

_have a good day and God bless! :)_


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